Oscar Aguirre Photography

La Espera es un proyecto fotografiado primordialmente con teléfono celular en aeropuertos, estaciones de metro y paradas de autobús. El ritmo de las ciudades nos obliga a pasar tiempo entre conexiones para utilizar el transporte público, en esos “tiempos muertos” en que pensamientos nos refugiamos? Finalmente la llegada del siguiente autobús o de la persona esperada nos harán retornar el siguiente a

Invierno en Montreal. El paisaje urbano se modifica con cada tormenta. Objetos abandonados en las calles. Animales con pulmones congelados. Religiosos con prisa y la promesa de una primavera que cada vez tarda más en llegar.

After a difficult childhood and years living in the streets of Lima, Perú, Antonio Guerrero, 45, learned early to defend himself. Boxing kept him out of drugs and gave him "discipline and a family". Now, he's coaching his oldest of four sons, Anthony, 24. After having a distant relationship, boxing is helping them to reconnect.

A former Italian colony, Eritrea was annexed to Ethiopia and in 1991 after 30 years of war the Eritrean People’s Liberation Front won the war of independence that was validated in 1993 by the ONU. In 1998 another war with Ethiopia over border limits killed close to 70,000 people from both countries. Isaias Afewerki has been Eritrea’s president since it’s independence and the UN has accused his government of crimes against humanity. International agencies have different information about the numbers of Eritreans fleeing the country but the most conservative ones talk about 5,000 per month a very high rate for a country with 5.5 million inhabitants. A high number of Eritreans stay in refugee camps in Sudan, Israel and Uganda waiting to be relocated to a country in Europe or North America. In 2013 the Canadian government expelled the consul-general of Eritrea as he was accused for harrasment and intimidation towards Eritrean nationals as he was asking for the so called "diaspora tax". Eritreans expatriates are asked to give 2% of their wages to the African regime. In Montreal, a group of people decided to distant themselves to the community centre affiliated to the Eritrean government and they created their own independent and welcoming community centre. A new adventure begins.

The Côte-des-neiges neighbourhood in Montreal attracts new landed immigrants and refugees because of its offer of apartments with affordable rents. Some landlords take advantage of their situation and they don't provide the services they should.

For nine days in the ninth month of the Chinese lunar calendar the Vegetarian Festival is celebrated in various parts of Asia. Dedicated to the Nine Emperor Gods, in Thailand is celebrated with some differences particular since 1825. Hundreds of young people become mediums (Mah Song) of the spirits of the emperor gods, possessed by them, the mediums initiate a ritual that leads them to trance, and to attract good luck in their communities and ward off diseases, they carry a rigorous vegetarian diet and they practice sexual abstinence for weeks prior the festival. Once in trance, they mutilate and pierce their body with objects that have an important meaning for them. In trance they walk for miles carrying the objects in their pierced bodies, in trance they walk on burning coal or climb stairs with knives instead of steps. Shamans are an important part of the ritual and they help the Mah Songs during the entire process. On the last day of the festival a cloud of gunpowder takes over the city, the Nine Emperor Gods must leave the bodies and the detonation of the firecrackers is part of the final ritual.

A march organized by writer Alejandro Jodorowsky, attracted people with their faces painted as skulls symbolizing the 50,000 ( up to November 2011) casualties in the 'War on Drugs' between the Mexican government and drug cartels. Manifestación organizada por el escritor Alejandro Jodorowsky congregó a gente pintada como calavera simbolizando las 50,000 muertes ( hasta Noviembre 2011 ) causadas por la "guerra contra las drogas " entre el gobierno de México y los narcotraficantes.

During the celebration of the festival, people are possesed by the spirits of the animals they have their tattoos on. In the meantime monks and apprentices continue to tattoo people wirh the old technique. People offer rice, incense and other goods that the monk could appreciate, they normally go accompanied by friends who help them going through the pain. Invisible tattoos are also popular and the designs are given by the profession or craft.

Exposed to filthy waters, noisy engines and extreme heat, commuters and crew members dance at the rythm of the Saen Saep canal waters. The people have just few seconds to get in and out of the express boat, the crew attach the ropes with the precision and mask of a surgeon. The engine roars in a city that moves in hi speed.